ACE
The meeting room felt smaller with the three hostile wolves sitting across from us. Their scents reeked of aggression and barely contained violence.
Marcus stood behind me, his posture tense. Lily sat to my right, her hand resting on my thigh—a silent show of support that steadied me more than she knew.
"So," I said, settling back in my chair. "You have something to say?"
The leader, a scarred wolf with dead eyes, leaned forward. "We represent the Northern Alliance. Five packs who've been watching your... situation."
"My situation?"
"Your sudden rise to Alpha King." His voice dripped with disdain. "The ring may have chosen you, but that doesn't mean we accept you."
I'd expected this. The Alpha King ring hadn't been worn in over a century. Some packs had grown comfortable operati
